| Estadística: |
| Datos actuales: |
| 108654 |
| Datos atereiores: |
| 164674 |
| Fotos: |
| 46977 |
| Serial Number | 30221 |
| Civil reg. | N90230 (1) |
| Mil. reg. | |
This helicopter when re regd. in the USA and operated by the City of Los Angeles Fire Dept as N90230 (1) had sadly crashed in a residential area after responding to a traffic accident in Sunland near Burbank where 10 minutes beforehand it had picked up a injured 12-year-old female child for transport to the hospital when it crashed killing the girl and three fire fighters at Griffith Park in California on the 23rd of March 1998. The pilot and a crew member survive, although they were in serious condition.
There were reports that the helicopter?s engine sputtered and cut out before the craft went down Griffiths Park in the Los Feliz area north west of Los Angeles, narrowly missing homes. The pilot appeared to steer the helicopter to avoid the homes and trees.
The cause of the crash was unknown but the tail rotor has been found a mile away from the crash side, initial reports suggest that it had failed...
Update to the crash confirms that the accident was due to an in-flight tail rotor system failure. A local metallurgical laboratory reported the yoke had a fatigue fracture. The LACFD had been putting on a lot of political pressure to get new aircraft after the crash and, although details remain outside the public domain, when the new LA City budget was announced in late April it was said that it has been given the money for two new helicopters (typs not mentioned). This is yet to be ratified. The US Border Patrol MD600N fleet are now starting to appear on the production and flight lines at the Boeing Mesa factory in 1998. Apparently the first, reg. as N602BP has been under test as the factory test rig and a number of others in the series have also been noted. (Report via ABN April 1998).
We wish to express our sympathy to all the families and friends of those involved.
Restored in the USA by Edwards & Associates Inc as N90230 for spares from 17.02.2004 till 12.03.2007 as PWFU.
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